Unsettling Moments Captured in SEVENTEEN Hoshi’s Interaction With Child Ignite Strong Reactions

SEVENTEEN member Hoshi is facing backlash after a video from a wedding event popped back up on X (formerly Twitter).

The clip shows Hoshi with a child on his lap. He covers the kid’s face with his hands and plants a peck on their hand—an indirect kiss.

This sparked major controversy. Some netizens called his behavior creepy and even accused him of pedophilia.

Tweets poured in slamming him:

why would you do that to a child you sick fuck
— nya is N✭T CUTE ANYMO✭RE (IA) (@wonheecheeks)

i know i was never wrong when i said korea is full of pedophiles
— mint (@mintkyutie)

carats in the qrts saying “he put a hand over her lips” as if that makes it any better. he shouldn’t be doing that to a kid wtf
— mari (@mikrocosmosis)

Fan wars aside, this is genuinely weird and uncomfortable to watch.
— isa (@solmerv)

As the situation heated up, a witness from the event jumped in to defend Hoshi. They said he was gentle, kind, and the interaction was innocent.

타팬이긴 하지만.. 그 현장에 있었던 사람으로서 남자 애기랑 놀아주는 장면을 직접 봤어요. 연예인이 너무 다정하게 아기랑 놀아주길래 신기했구요 참 좋은 사람이구나 싶었어요. 이렇게 오해를 받다니 너무 속상하네요. 다들 지인 애기 보면 귀여워하시잖아요 딱 그 정도 수준이였어요.
(사진 인증)
— 왈왈 (@ppukkuppang219)

Fans called the clip “manipulated” by being slowed down to make it look worse. They insisted the child’s parents were there and it was a normal, affectionate moment.

Others condemned the harsh misuse of serious topics like pedophilia to start fan wars.

I’m not their fan, but this seems like a cultural misunderstanding. In Korea, light kisses to babies are common. It’s also well known this can pass cavity bacteria, so he likely covered his mouth to avoid contact. Awareness of pedophilia matters, but this video isn’t about that.
— 병 (@keusa157808)

By the way calling Hoshi, or any idol for the matter, Epstein etc is highly fucking insensitive and disgusting. That is a cannibalistic rapist who disemboweled literally babies and ate their feces, trafficked women, babies, and children. Fuck you if you do this.
— hao (semi hiatus) (@verhaoism)

as a victim of CSA myself, it sickens me to see how many people are using that clip of hoshi to spread allegations about him. also comparing it to the epstein situation is DISGUSTING. these are not things you can carelessly bring into things as trivial as fanwars.
— ateez yaoi connoisseur (@horangquette)

Stop sexualizing a CHILD just to fuel your fan wars. If you were appalled by that innocent photo, that says more about your putrid way of thinking than anything else. Tangina naman. Tantanan niyo na yung bata at si Hoshi.
There was absolutely nothing sexual about that photo. It…
— 니키 (@neomukawaii)

The controversy is still unfolding as fans and critics clash online over the meaning behind the video.